Alliance: Subversion
by furrepanther
Summary: This story picks up at the end of the movie Serenity, follows along with what happens to The Operative (as he is deeply changed by the events of that movie), and begins a tale of revolution against the core planets.


This is a work of fan fiction.  
>I do not own any of the rights to the characters in Joss Whedon's Firefly and Serenity universes, nor the main story concept.<br>Some excerpts from the ending of the movie Serenity are referenced here in accordance with Fair Usage rights and as a setup to the remainder of the story.

**Alliance: Subversion**

Prologue

The now-abandoned spaceport was glistening wet – wet from the dark rain and the blood of Reavers and Alliance soldiers alike. The Captain stood on the rear exit ramp of Serenity, staring into the dark wetness, listening to the drops wash away the stains of battle. Soon there would be little sign of the desperate fighting that occurred here, as the Alliance was sure to send new ships and rested men to take the planet by force. Not that any real force would be required; with Mr. Universe dead, the planet no longer had an owner. The Alliance would be trying to make itself look good, likely telling stories of madmen and lies to try to hush all this up. And they would demonize Mr. Universe and take back control of the Cortex. Standard Alliance operating procedure; he'd seen it before.

It was done. Over. Serenity was ready to fly once more. Captain Malcolm Reynolds bent to pick up his bag of tools when he heard a set of quiet footsteps. He froze, then slowly turned toward the sound.

"It's not over yet. I can't guarantee that they won't come after you. The Parliament. Your broadwave about Miranda has weakened their regime, but they are not gone – and they are not … forgiving."

Mal turned toward the quiet voice, saw the Operative, then continued what he was doing. He'd be damned if he'd give the monster any special recognition. "Well, that don't bode special well for you. Giving the order to let us go. Patching up our hurt." Mal sneered. He didn't care, but it seemed reasonable to say something.

"I told them the Tams are no longer a threat," the Operative replied, quietly. "Damage done. They might listen, but I think they know I am no longer … their man."

The Captain considered this for a moment. The Operative might not be loyal to the Alliance any longer, but what he had done … Wash … Book … There was no redemption for this man. Mal smiled slightly.

"They take you down, don't expect me to grieve overmuch." He looked the Operative in the eye, coldly. "Like to kill you m'self, I see you again." He dried his hands with the towel from the tool bag. If he had to go for his gun, dry hands mattered. A lot.

"You won't," the man replied. "There is nothing left to see."

He turned and walked away, into the dark rain. Mal kept an eye on the man; he'd already proven he would do anything to satisfy his masters. The only question was, was the Operative lying still, trying to delay their departure so more Alliance could arrive?

The Operative had stopped and was standing in the cold rain, staring at the ship's bridge high above him. He saw the ship's logo. The ship's name. Something in his mind connected. His face twisted as he said "Serenity," sounding mystified.

Mal turned to face the monster again.

"You lost everything in that battle," he said, his confusion clear on his face. "Everything you had. Everything you were." Mal smiled gently. "How could you go on?"

Mal could sense the importance of this question to the Operative. He, too, had now lost everything in his own battle; everything he had. Everything he was. But this was not something that Mal would bond with this man over, oh, no. There was no comparison between the two of them. His fury came back to the surface in his eyes and his jaw tightened.

"You keep standing there when that engine starts," he said in a bemused tone of voice, "you never will figure it out." Mal smiled to himself. There was no need to kill this man, no need to protect himself and his crew from him, any longer. The Operative was finished.

Time to go. Mal turned and walked back into the ship, raising the rear hatch has he did. "What a whiner," he muttered to himself.

Fear and worry etching his face, the Operative turned, walked into the dark rain, and disappeared.


End file.
